2.3M Canadians approved under dental-care plan, 19K providers now participating: Holland

More than 2.3 million Canadians have been approved to receive coverage, and now more than 75 per cent of dental care providers are now participating in the federal government’s dental-care program.

Health Minister Mark Holland provided the update on the Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) at a dental office in Ottawa on Wednesday.

To date, nearly 450,000 eligible Canadians have received care under what the Liberals have billed as the largest program in federal government history.

As part of a phased rollout, the government began accepting claims for dental coverage for seniors in May and has since expanded eligibility to Children under the age of 18 and Canadians with a valid Disability Tax Credit certificate in June.

Remaining eligible Canadians are scheduled to gain access in 2025.

While uptake has been swift for Canadians seeking help covering the costs of dental care, the federal government has faced challenges in getting oral dentists, dental hygienists and denturists have to enroll.

Some have cited reservations about the program, its administrative burden, and the reimbursement structure, concerns echoed by the federal Conservatives.

Last month, in an effort to increase uptake among providers, Holland announced they’d be able to directly bill to Sun Life, who the government tapped to operate the program for services provided on a claim-by-claim basis, without having to formally sign up for the CDCP.

As of Wednesday, close to 19,000 oral health providers are participating, a significant boost from the number before this adaptation was offered.

The program, which Health Canada has sought to emphasize is not a formal insurance plan, covers a range of oral health services, such as cleanings, X-rays, cavity fillings, dentures, and root canals.

In order to qualify, you have to be a Canadian resident with no access to dental insurance; have an adjusted family net income of less than $90,000; and have filed your tax return for the previous year.

Stemming from a Liberal-NDP supply-and-confidence commitment, the government estimates that once fully implemented, up to nine million low-income uninsured Canadians of all ages will be able to access more affordable dental care.

More details to come…